Barclays is expanding its use of Anthropic's Claude AI models across the bank as part of its efforts to improve software development, modernise legacy technology and increase operational efficiency.

The bank said it plans to extend the use of Claude Code to around half of its software developers by the end of 2026 before rolling it out to the majority of its engineering teams during 2027.

Barclays, which has around 20 million retail customers, added it is also using the technology to support customer service and automate operational processes while maintaining governance and human oversight.

One of the bank's largest AI deployments is its Colleague Knowledge Assistant, which it said helps employees find information more quickly when supporting customers.

The assistant has been in use since 2025 and is now used by more than 16,000 employees.

Barclays said it has processed more than one million searches, helping staff access information more quickly and respond to customer enquiries faster.

The lender has also introduced Claude into its Global Markets business to help manage incoming client emails.

The AI models classify emails, add relevant information and route requests to the appropriate
teams. Barclays said the system processes around 120,000 emails each day, reducing manual work and helping operations teams identify and respond to requests more efficiently.

Alongside these customer-facing and operational applications, Barclays is increasing the use of AI within its technology teams.

The bank said Claude is helping software engineers modernise legacy platforms, improve software quality and automate routine development tasks, allowing technical specialists to focus on more complex work.

Anne Marie Darling, group co-chief operating officer at Barclays, said: “The true measure of any technology is the impact it has on customers, clients and colleagues, and the outcomes it enables.

“Expanding the use of Claude across Barclays is about more than adopting AI. It is about transforming how work gets done, reimagining processes, enhancing customer and client experiences, and building a simpler, more efficient organisation within a secure and well-governed environment.”

---